The Washington critic., 1887-10-07
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

The widow OF General Grant has deter
mined not to become social power.
have no means Of knowing how much
she was inclined that way, nor how
long she really considered the question
before deciding It in the negative, but
II Is certain that the Astor- Vanderbilt
clique Of wealth and fashion gave to
her the opportunity and that she has
declined TO come out Of her quiet re.
tirement into social activity. The talk
at Newport all summer and In Fifth
avenue this fall was that Mrs. Grant
and the younger members of the Grant
family would figure conspicuously in
next winters swelldom. 1t was under
stood that Mrs. Nellie Grant Sartoris
and Mrs. Frederick Dent Grant were
getting extensive wardrobes ready for
the campaign, and the tendency was to
welcome those. attractive ladies right
Into the inner circle. But Mrs. Grant
dence into the hands of an estate agent
to sell, and she intends to 90 to live in
Fifth avenue apartment house. Her
establishment will there be comfort
able, even luxurious, but not suitable
for the giving of notable entertain.
ments.
-
Says the Scattered Notes man of
the Richmond State: Judge from the
letters which Hon. Jefferson Davis has
recently sent to Richmond in response
TO invitations extended to him, that he
can use pen with the same ease and
foni1fttr hot ha IN .
thirty years ago. Mr.. Davis writes a
very legible hand until he signs his
name, and then he makes botch of
the big ID In Davis. He does not write
hand that looks as II 1t was that of
person suffering from nervousness, but
he goes right straight along apparently
with the ease of an unusually rapid
long hand writer. Sometimes he fails
to dot his 'is" but he seldom fails to
cross his its"
w.
There Is man whose name Is Tim
Lee In the Government Printing Office,
says Washington special to the New
York Sun. He was at one time what
is known as carpet Dagger. He
opened q barroom In Raleigh, N. c.,
about 1865. He became identified with
politics and was an active partisan Re.
publican. His cocktails and mint
juleps were, however, compounded
with such skill that he secured a firm
personal standing with the average
Democratic statesman. A few years
ago he removed the base of his oper-
ations to this city, and from his en-
larged quarters in the Washington
Post building he continued to distil
his choice mixtures for the delcctation
of both Democratic and Republican
statesmen, who recognize no party diff.
ferences in this line. Finally, Tim
became ambitious, and applied for an
office as citizen Of North Carolina,
and certain North Carolina Dem.
ocratic statesmen, who had kindly
feelings for him In spite of
his politics, and in remembrance of
many a tipple they had enjoyed over
Tins counter, indorsed his applica.
tion. The following are his indorsers
outside of that State he claims to hail
from: Congressman PatricksCollins,
Martin Foran. Tim Campbell, J. J.
O'Neill, VIM. McAdoo, z. Mahoney, W.
M. Springer. Charles L. Boyle; Anto.
MO Joseph delegate from New Mexico.
and M. j. Durham. First Comptroller
of the Treasury. There is one Repub
lican In this list, Senator Charles Man.
derson of Nebraska. Mr.. Benedict
says that Tim Is one of his most COM
petent men.
%"@
Mrs. Alexander Mitchell, widow OF
the great RAILROAD magnate and Chicago,
Milwaukee and st. Paul Railroad presi.
dent, has decided to make California
her future home and has left for San
Francisco, accompanied by Mrs, F.
Crosby, niece of the late Alexander
Mitchell, and Mrs. Crosby's young son,
VIII, who is Mrs. Mitchell's private
secretary. Unpleasantness has occurred,
1t is reported, between Mrs. Mitchell
and her son In regard to the settlement
of the vast property left by Mr.. Mitch.
ell. The abandonment and pro
posed sale of the homestead on Grand
avenue by John L. Mitchell has de-
cided his mother, 1t is said, to leave the
city. Mrs. Mitchell did not receive, as
stated, $4,000 for her life tenure Of
the homestead, but Is to get from her
son, John i. Mitchell, SEQ 900 year
as long as she lives as a consideration,
so far as concerns this portion of her
dead husbands estate.
w.
One afternoon recently, says a
writer in the New York 1riJuRe l
met roaming around in the lower part
of New York Rear Admiral A. Lud.
low Case, one of the wealthy retired
officers of the United States Navy,
whose home is In Providence. lie is
stout old gentleman, with ilorid
face, full white beard, close cropped,
but struggling and great overhanging
eyebrows. He looks, indeed, typical
ancient mariner. Admiral Case and
General Grant were friends to the eX
tent of being cronies, and often got
together for day or evening to enjoy
each others society. The Admiral
much Of New York society forty and
fifty years ago,
~.
Says London correspondent of the
Philadelphia Press There is little left
Of the once glorious voice of Jenny
Lind, and she rarely uses 1t at all eX'
cept in instructing some pupil how to
render passage Of a song. She is a
most charitable woman, and for some
years has had class of ten poor girls,
whom che teaches twice week at her
own home, and prepares for opera
and concert. She Is, however, very
careful In selecting for this class only
those who have very decided